Many women have asked our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Eric Okamoto, how their pregnancy may affect or possibly damage their breast implants. If you are struggling to decide when to have your breast implant procedure, either before or after pregnancy, you may find the following information helpful in navigating this decision.
First and foremost, it is important to note that both pregnancy and breastfeeding will affect a woman’s body in different ways; no individual’s experience is exactly alike. While many mothers will see swelling or enlargement of their breasts when their body begins to form milk, there may also be volume lost as this milk is pumped and its production has stopped.
Your body will endure many physical changes during the pregnancy and post-pregnancy periods. It is possible that receiving implants pre-pregnancy can protect against initial volume reduction. However, it is not necessarily the case that implants will keep your breasts from changing in shape and size. This occurrence will greatly depend on the degree of enlargement or volume lost. A breast implant revision procedure may be needed to restore the results you had pre-pregnancy, such as contours, elevation, and volume. In some cases, a breast lift may be recommended by Dr. Okamoto for patients who are experiencing excess, sagging skin that may be causing a “drooping” appearance following pregnancy. It’s important to remember that, as noted above, each woman’s body will react differently during and following a pregnancy; one individual may experience significant changes in the size and appearance of her breasts, while another may not.
If you would like more information on this topic, we encourage you to contact us with any questions you may have.